Can I Slytherin
by blowsyourmind
Summary: Hermione Granger joins the Quidditch team in her sixth year and develops a small friendship with a blonde guy over Christmas. What happens when he drinks a lot of firewhiskey during a dinner out? What when the two meet on a train-trip to Scotland so many years after? DM/HG, HP/GW, RW/PP and a lot more. Repost, English is my second language.
1. 1 - Arriving at Hogwarts

_A/N:_

_Hello, Potterheads! A few of you may recognize this story, but that's simply because I've already published it a while ago.. A year, or so. But I never got to finish it, and I feel like I have improved both my writing and my English since I first wrote it, so I have decided to repost it! The changes will not be huge, more a correction on my spelling errors and small mistakes I've made during the writing. So far I do not think the storyline will be any different, but who knows.. Maybe I'll make some sort of plot twist all of a sudden. (I'm that kind of person, yes). Anyway, here is the first chapter. I'll try my best to update often, but I have a very packed everyday.. I hope you'll enjoy it and be patient.. Thank you! Kisses, Julie._

**Chapter One - Arriving at Hogwarts**

On September 1st 1996 Hermione Granger was followed to King's Cross Station in London, by her two Muggle parents. She was carrying a suitcase that contained her school robes, newly bought school books and tons of other useful things that Hermione always carried with her no matter where she went. She was looking forward to spend yet another year at her favourite place in the whole World, the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hogwarts. She had spent her entire summer on getting ready with studying, purchasing new things, practicing spells and so on.

"Can you have a good year, my dear?" Mr. Granger said to his only daughter.

"Yes, thank you, dad," she replied with a smile. She hated saying goodbye to her loved parents, but she knew she would come back again for Christmas.

Her mother had a worrying look on her face. She had used the summer trying to convince Hermione to stay at home. She didn't like having to be without her daughter for such a long time, though she was starting her Sixth year. Also, it was hard for the mother to accept that there was a witch in the family. It had been a pure waste of time, though. Nothing could keep Hermione from returning to her friends at Hogwarts.

"Stay safe, lovely," Mrs. Granger said in a soft voice and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"I will," Hermione smiled, "You too," she added. She was fearing her parents safety, but knew that they were getting the greatest protection there was. Hermione hugged her parents, said goodbye, and then watched them leave the station up the stairs into the Muggle reality. She was thankful that she did not have to go there just yet. She ran towards the brick wall between platform 9 and 10, and ended on platform 9 ¾. As usual the platform was crowded with students, pets and teachers. She had a hard time finding the two people she was looking for.

"Hermione!" a familiar voice yelled somewhere behind her. Hermione turned around, and spotted her two best friends Harry Potter and Ronald Weasly - after all Ron's hair was nearly glowing. She ran up to them and held them tight for a few seconds. Both of them had grown several of inches over the summer. Ron had grown so much that Hermione accused him for using magic, though she knew he was not clever enough to do so.

They boarded the Hogwarts Express along with many other students, owls, cats and toads. Pure chaos, to be frank.

"Sorry, Harry, but we have to sit in the-" Hermione begun, but was interrupted by her black-haired fellow, Harry.

"Prefect compartment, I know," Harry finished for her. He had been sitting in a different compartment than his friends for the past two years. Harry sighed, but then left Ron and Hermione behind and went looking for an empty compartment for himself.

"Harry, hi!" Neville Longbottom, one of Harry's friends from school, yelled a bit further ahead in the train. Neville was a clumsy boy from Harry's year who always got teased by the other students. A freak was what they called him. He was standing next to Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw in the same year as Ginny Weasly, Ron's younger sister. Luna was categorized with Neville, and the fact that they were friends did not do any good for their reputation at Hogwarts, but that was one thing they did not care a bit about.

"Hi, Neville, Luna." Luna and Neville were standing close to each other. Harry had always had a feeling that they would end up together. He could just imagine them hunting rare creatures in cold countries together.

"Can I sit with you?" Harry asked. By the glad expression on Luna's face, he could answer his own question. They found an empty compartment near the end of the train and sat down.

* * *

"So, Harry, will D.A continue this year?" Luna asked Harry after hours of silence in the compartment. All three of them were quiet people who preferred to just sit down and think. Harry remembered how much Luna had liked D.A last year. They had been forbad to practice the subject Dark Arts, so instead Harry had taught a group of people what he knew about it and many of them had actually improved.

"Well, there is no reason to now, is there?" Harry saw the excitement fade away in Luna's silvery-grey eyes.

"Oh," she mumbled. She caught sight of a bit of dirt on the floor and sat still.

"Do you know who will be our new teacher? Now that we are finally rid of Umbridge," Neville asked. He had also been a part of D.A, and loved it. He was the one who had improved the most, and now he had a bit of confidence about practicing magic in public.

"No, I'm not quite sure actually." But Harry was lying. During his summer vacation the school headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, had taken Harry along for a trip to one of his pal's, Horace Slughorn, house. Dumbledore had asked him to start teaching at Hogwarts again and after some persuasion he had agreed to go - if he got a raise.

* * *

"Where is he?" Hermione gasped impatiently. They were all seated in the Great Hall, eating after a long, exhausting train trip. Well, all except Harry. Neither of them had seen him since they boarded the train hours ago. Hermione had been following the Gryffindors up to the carriages, and was sore from screaming at them for not listening. There had been so much talking that no one had paid attention to her anyway. Even Ron had just walked as had he not had a job to do.

"Dunno," Ron replied, filling his mouth with roasted chicken. Hermione rolled her eyes. She was sick of Ron not paying any attention to her. To anything. Why had he not commented her new hair do, or noticed that her eyes were shining brighter?

"How can you be so calm about this, Rona-" In that very moment a blood stained Harry, and Luna Lovegood entered the Great Hall. "Oh."

"See, no need to worry," Ron said, only throwing a quick glance at the two people approaching them.

"He is covered in _blood_!" Hermione pointed out. "Harry, what have you been doing?" she asked as Harry sat down, saying goodbye to Luna who found her spot at the Ravenclaw table.

"I'll explain later," Harry spit out. "It's not save here."

* * *

"Now, tell," Hermione said as soon as they entered the Gryffindor common-room after dinner. she had been anxious to hear the story all the way through the castle.

"Malfoy," was all Harry replied, as if the last-name of their arch-enemy explained why his nose was bleeding at dinner. He was still in shock over hearing that Professor Snape was their new teacher in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Professor Slughorn was teaching Potions. Of course, Slughorn didn't seem like the type of man who should be teaching DADA - too clumsy and insecure - but being taught by Snape could possibly be the death of Harry.

"Blimey, Snape? There is no way I will pass the subject this year!" Ron complained and threw himself into one of the common-room's empty armchairs. Most of the students had gone to bed as Dumbledore had told them to do. Hermione ignored Ron's presence and kept her eyes on Harry. His scar was still exactly where it had always been, he was still just skin and bones, though his hair was newly cut and didn't cover his eyes as it used to do.

"What about him?" she asked. She was curious, of course.

Harry told her how he had been hiding in Draco's compartment on the train, how Draco had discovered him, paralyzed him and stamped on his face so Harry's nose had broken. Afterwards Malfoy had put Harry's invisibility cloak on him, in hope that nobody would find him before the train went back to London. Fortunately, for Harry, Luna Lovegood had searched the train wearing a pair of Spectrespecs and had found Harry. She had also healed his nose, which Harry very much appreciated.

"And before all of that I heard Draco say that he might not even return to Hogwarts next year," Harry added after his story, which made Hermione look frightened at first and then confused.

"But why should Malfoy not return? I mean, his parents are probably really strict about him getting his education and all," Ron cut in.

"Yeah, but I know someone who doesn't care about education. Someone who would be interested in getting Draco as soon as possible," said Harry, speaking in riddles.

Ron and Hermione din't get the point of Harry's words and were looking at each other, thinking he might went crazy over summer.

"_Voldemort_, guys," he explained as if it was obvious.

"Oh," Hermione and Ron said at the exact same time, which made both of them blush.

"Harry.. You cannot seriously still believe that.." Hermione started.

"That Draco is a Death Eater? Yes, I still think so. I _know_ so." Hermione hushed at him. She was afraid somebody was eavesdropping, though the chances were small.

"Harry, that is so ridiculous. You and I both know that Draco is far too young for that. What would You-Know-Who want to do with him now?"

Harry did not answer. He, too, could honestly not come up with something Malfoy could be doing for Voldemort, but he was sure that there was something. He _knew_ Malfoy was a Death Eater. There were no other explanation.

* * *

The next morning at breakfast Harry and Ron were discussing the Quidditch try-outs. It was different this year because Harry was captain for the Gryffindors and had to pick out the team.

"But Ron, you do not even have to try out! Of course you are on the team again this year," Harry assured. He knew that putting his best mate on the team did not look good, but Ron was actually really good. At least sometimes.. Well, his and Ron's friendship was worth more than a Quidditch championship.

"Really? Why, thank you, Harry, my mate!" Ron looked pleased. Probably because he knew that if he actually tried out he would not succeed. It was lucky for him that Harry was the captain.

"You are the best Keeper in Gryffindor!" Harry said. He knew that he was overrating by far, but it seemed to make Ron all confident and happy which was exactly what made him good.

"Blimey, thank you!" Ron made his way through some more bacon as to celebrate his "great talent". He seemed to have gotten his appetite back again.

"You do not even have to be at the try-outs, actually," said Harry. He would feel far less nervous without Ron around. And then Ron had a tense to.. interrupt Harry's thoughts.

"Good, I also have a lot of studying to get done," Ron said as was it the most natural thing for Ron to do in the beginning of a semester. A mix of a choke and a chuckle sounded from next to Harry. Hermione had nearly gotten her breakfast down her trachea.

"_Studying_?" she chuckled. "Ron, we haven't even started classes yet, not before today. How much behind can you actually be?"

Harry chuckled along with Hermione, but Ron did not move his gaze from the delicious bacon on his plate.

"I actually.." said Hermione, but then cut herself off.

"You what?" Harry asked without sounding further interested.

"No, nothing." Hermione's voice was fragile, like she had said something she had not intended to say.

"Yes, something! You can not just start a sentence, and then do not tell us the rest!" Ron broke in. "For God sakes, woman." He had apparently been paying attention to the conversation without showing it.

"I.." Hermione took a deep breath. "I-have-considered-trying-out-for-the-Quidditch-team," she said in such a hurry that it took a couple of seconds for the words to sink in. Ron dropped the piece of bacon he had halfway chewed.

"You have _what_?" he cried aloud. Somewhere behind that cry was a laughter. Their conversation had caught almost the entire table's attention.

"Well, Hermione, that is.." Harry was looking for the right word to use. He remembered playing friendly matches with Hermione at The Burrow during summer time, but he had never considered her as a professional. "Great," he then added after an amount of time. Too much time.

"You both find me silly, don't you." Hermione said, but it wasn't a question, more a fact.

"Hermione, Quidditch… Honestly? I mean, you are really great and smart and so, but.." Ron mumbled. Hermione turned red in her face, but not from blushing. She was furious.

"Blimey, Ronald Weasly, I am so sick of you never believing in me or supporting me in any sort of way! Just because I'm a girl, it does't mean that I cannot play Quidditch!" she said, then got up from the bench and left the Great Hall to prepare for her first lesson.

"Quidditch.. She must be insane." Ron talked to himself while finishing up his bacon. Harry was as frozen to his chair. If Hermione tried out, how could he in any way turn her down -because she obviously was not good enough to play on the team - without her getting mad at him? Was Hermione's friendship also more important to him than the championship, and how much was he willing to give up to win? Sometimes Harry hated making decisions.

* * *

At the following day's Quidditch try-out Harry watched many Gryffindors, and other curious students who had sneaked in, fly around in the air. He could sense them all being very nervous, and in his mind he thanked Professor McGonagall for putting him on the team without even having him try out. Only a few managed to impress Harry. He found it hard to be captain, because there were so many things that had to be arranged by him, so many things to keep under control. He had kept Ron because he knew it would be hard to find a new Keeper.

After having seen all the hopeful students fly around (sending half of them away because they were not in Gryffindor), Harry had a struggle to find out who to put on the team. Both Katie Bell and Ginny Weasly had done a great job as Chasers, but he needed one more. Ron was the Keeper, Harry himself took place as Seeker, and Jimmy Peaks and Ritchie Coote were the Beaters. Harry kept thinking through the try-outs of Demelza Robins and Dean Thomas, but none of them had done so well.

"Is it too late, or can I still try out for Chaser?" a familiar voice spoke from behind. Harry turned around and looked directly into the familiar, chocolatebrown eyes that he had known for so many years.


	2. 2 - Wild Feelings under the Stars

_A/N:_

_Hello again! Chapter two is up now, so enjoy! I would appreciate it if you left a comment bellow telling me your opinion.._

_Lots of love, Julie._

**Chapter Two - Wild Feelings under the Stars**

A celebration was going on strong in the Gryffindor common-room that night, after the new Quidditch team had been revealed. Students were honoring the new players, and hoped that they would make them proud in that years Quidditch championship. But one single person was missing - Ron Weasly. Harry thought to himself that Ron never missed a party, especially not a party in his honor, but Ron had been no-where to be found since their last afternoon lesson earlier that day. He could not possibly still be so mad at Hermione that he didn't want to be in the same room as her, or could he? Ron's a ginger - he had a temper.

A few minutes later an obviously tired Ron joined the party in the common-room. The few students who had noticed his appearance started to cheer his name loudly and clap at two and four. Ron stopped up, froze, at the stairs leading up to the boys dormitory. Ron thought that they were partying as if they'd already won the championship. Did they really trust him that much as a Keeper? Ron planted a smile on his red lips. It absolutely seemed like they did.

"Ron! Where have you been, mate?" Harry, whom had just appeared at the end of the staircase, asked. He was also smiling.

"I have been sleeping, really. First day back is a tough one, you know. But do not tell Hermione so. I want her to think I have been studying." Ron glanced around in the room as was he looking for something. "Where is she anyway?" he added, acting as if he didn't care much about her. Harry couldn't catch his gaze.

"Well, er, you see.." Harry begun, but got cut off by a smiling Hermione who appeared right next to him. She placed her arm around his neck. She was all red in the face, but this time it was from blushing.

"Hi Ron. We have missed you at the party!" she said. Harry did not know what to feel about the situation. It was both awkward and funny.

"Blimey, why are you so happy? Don't tell me they doubled the exams or something," he said, already getting a worried expression in his face. Hermione was always so serious, and it took a lot to make her this happy.

"I am simply celebrating, Ron. And so should you!" Hermione took Ron's hand, and tried to pull him down the staircase and out on the dance-floor where the rest of the students were. No one were really dancing together, as they were all in the phase of denying that the other gender existed.

"Wait a minute," Ron began. Harry wanted to disappear, but he couldn't think of a way to escape from the situation. "What are _you_ celebrating? You never cared that much of who made it to the team.." Ron looked suspicious. His eyes were tight and his face more red than the velvet wallpaper.

"Oh, you haven't heard yet. I just thought Harry would have.." The joyful smile slowly faded away from Hermione's face. She looked rather disappointed, and glanced at Harry for support.

"Heard what? What have you not told me, Harry?" Ron raised a finger at the two of them. Harry sighed. Why was it that Ron had to fuss up over such a small situation.

"Hermione made it to the team. She is our new Chaser along with Ginny and Katie," Harry hesitated. He closed his eyes because he knew exactly what was to come. He should've known from the start that this friendly encounter would end up in a fight. Again.

"Bloody hell! You let _her _on the team! Harry, you do know that she only did this to piss me off, right? She can not play! If she really was any good at the try-outs she must have used some sort of potion!" Ron was yelling and everyone in the room had noticed. Someone had even done them the favor of turning down the music so that everybody could follow along. Harry opened his eyes and saw Hermione with tears rolling down her now completely pale cheeks.

"Why is it you never believe in me, Ronald? Just because I am smart does not mean I cannot be good at anything else than that! Why can you not just be happy for me? You, you bastard!" Hermione yelled. She felt as if she was just repeating herself from earlier that day when she had yelled at him at breakfast. She stormed into the girls dormitory with a very furious expression on her face.

"Well done, Ron. My team is already a mess and we just made it today. Thank you." Harry said, walking a few steps away.

"_Your_ team? You might be the captain of it, but without your players you will be nothing. _Nothing_, I tell you!" Harry looked at Ron with a surprised look in his face. His best mate had just called him a 'nothing.' Harry walked towards the door out of the common-room and into the castle, not saying a word.

"Wait, Harry, you know I didn't mean it like that!" Ron started yelling, but Harry was so deep into the crowd of people that he could not hear him even if he wanted to.

"Ron, hi! Where were you at the try-outs? You should have seen Hermione Granger! She did really, really well! No wonder she made it to the team!" Lavender Brown spoke to Ron. Ron could feel himself exploding inside. He felt the urge to scream and kick somebody.

"She was really that good, eh?" he replied with a hint of anger in his voice. Ron couldn't believe it. All these years Hermione had gone on and on about how much she hated Quidditch and did not understand the purpose, but now she was actually on the team and apparently doing very well. Ron rolled his eyes and then went back to the boys dormitory, leaving a still talking Lavender behind him. As soon as she realised he wasn't around anymore, she turned around and continued the conversation with a random fifth year boy. _September turned into October, which turned into November, and before they knew of it snow started to fall on the Hogwarts grounds which made Quidditch rehearsal even more complicated than it already was. Hermione and Ron still refused to talk to each other, and Ron did not speak to Harry either. They didn't play well at all. The team was full of great players, but together it all fell apart. Ron was so angry that he lost focus constantly and therefore let a lot of goals in. That distracted Harry from catching the Golden Snitch several of times. He was so furious after every single practice that he went straight to bed without speaking to anybody.

"Harry, we cannot keep on like this," Ginny Weasly said to Harry after a late night Quidditch practice in the first week of November.

"I know, Ginny. But I have absolutely no idea what to do. They're behaving like kindergartners."

Ginny chuckled and Harry swore that he heard angels chuckle along with her, though they were all alone on the field.

That night's practice had been pure terrible. Katie Bell had still not returned from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries after the entire cursed necklace episode a few weeks before, so Dean Thomas had taken her spot as Chaser. He was currently dating Ginny, so they spent way more time chatting than playing. When Harry had asked them to participate in the game, Ginny had said that it was not "worth it anyway." Hermione and Ron had not been nearing each other more than 78 inches since the party in September, which also complicated things.

"Why is it that every time they are fighting it has to ruin everything?" Ginny said. Harry shook his head. He had noticed so, too. "We must put them back together. Even though it seems impossible. They just cannot live without each other, and we cannot live without them being together."

"You mean, we have to pair them up?" Harry asked in disgust. He did not know how he would be feeling about that.

"No, that was not what I meant!" Ginny chuckled. She, too, had a hard time imagining Hermione and Ron going out. They were probably more unlikely to date than Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood.

"Good, because I'm a million percent positive that that will never happen." They shared a laugh. Harry was sure he felt something in his gut that was not supposed to be there, at least not when he was with Ron's younger sister. Harry instantly stopped laughing. The silence became awkward. Had Ginny felt the same as Harry?

"I will try to talk some sense into them," Harry promised, breaking the silence as it got too much.

"That would be great, Harry. Goodnight, sleep tight," Ginny spoke and walked back to the castle. That left Harry all alone in the pitch dark.

"Goodnight," he whispered to himself, too insecure to say it out loud. _

"You came in late last night," Hermione noticed at breakfast the following morning after Harry and Ginny's talk. Harry said nothing. His conversation with Ginny was none of Hermione's business, though Harry had her suspected for knowing what had happened.

Ron was seated a little away, next to Neville Longbottom. They didn't speak, just ate bacon.

"You should really talk to him, Hermione. He might not show it, but I think he's missing you," Harry said, opening up for the topic they'd all been avoiding for months. His gaze was planted on his plate. He didn't have any appetite. He was thinking strategy for their first Quidditch match that weekend against Slytherin. Harry knew that their, Slytherin's, team had gotten stronger since last year where they were already tough enough to beat. With Urquhart, Vaisey and Blaise Zabini as Chasers, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle as Beaters, and last, but not least, Draco Malfoy as Seeker, they could become hard competition.

"Me? If anyone should talk it should be him. He is the one who made a mistake," Hermione cried silently. She, too, was looking at her plate. It was empty.

"Just do something, please! The match is on Saturday and we cannot afford to lose!"

"The championship just started, Harry! We can afford to lose at least one game, if we win the rest!" Harry could easily sense that it was Hermione's first match. She had no idea how important winning was - and especially winning against Slytherin.

"This is _Slytherin_. Don't you want to see Malfoy's face when we beat the crap out of them?" he asked. He imagined Draco's angry and disappointed face, throwing his broomstick to the ground. Harry would like to see that just once more.

"Of course I do, but.."

"No buts, Hermione! Blimey!" Harry walked out of the Great Hall alone and found his way to his first lessons of the day. _

Harry hated it when Ron and Hermione were fighting, when he and Ron were fighting.. He never felt more alone than when that happened. And sadly, it happened all too often.

Due to the match Harry had arranged Quidditch practice every night throughout the week. Of course the Slytherin Captain had pulled some strings and done the same thing, which meant that Gryffindor had to practice very late every night.

"I don't get it! Have they ever been fighting for this long before?" Ginny asked Harry as they walked together to practice one night.

"Yeah, probably. You know, when they fight, they do it well and for months," Harry explained. He was glad that he at least had someone to talk to, but why Ginny? And why Ginny _Weasly_? Why did she have to be the younger sister of his best mate? Ron had been so angry when Harry put Hermione on the team. He could not even imagine if he found out that Harry had a crush on his sister. He would turn into a monster, most likely. That wouldn't make anything better at all. Especially since Ginny didn't feel the same way about him, so she would stop talking to him, too. He'd have to leave Hogwarts with all that hate coming at him.

"The stars are very beautiful tonight," Ginny whispered. Harry had been too deep into his thoughts to realize that they already were at the Quidditch field. Ginny stood still, just looking up at the dark sky that was so full of shiny stars. Harry knew that Ginny loved astronomy.

"Yes, indeed," Harry agreed, looking up at the sky, too. He had placed himself very close to Ginny, so that he was sure they were looking at the exact same stars.

"I want to become one in my next life," Ginny all of a sudden said, breaking the comfortable silence. Harry glanced at her. Her eyes were in tears. "It must be lovely to be admired so much and be called beautiful of everyone. You know what I mean?" she added.

"You are beautiful," Harry said without a thought. He froze. He had not seen that one come and neither had Ginny. She slowly turned her face, which was all red and blushy, and looked directly at Harry.

"Really, you think so?" Harry had blushed, too, and that was a rare occasion. He had no idea why he had said so. It was true, of course. Ginny was very beautiful with her long, flaming hair and beautiful, shiny eyes. Shiny as the stars. Blue as the sky.

"Sorry to ruin your lovely moment, but I have some homework to do, so can we just get this overwith?" It was Hermione whom had arrived, ruining what seemed like the perfect moment for Harry. He got very angry with her, but knew he should not start to yell at her now when he was trying to make the team play a bit better than well.

"Indeed.. but we need some more players," Harry answered in a calmed voice, ignoring that Hermione had nearly yelled at him.

"Oh that is just typical." She looked like she rather wanted to be in the library than playing Quidditch.

Only a few minutes later Ron and the rest of the team arrived. They apologized, said they had had such a nice time at dinner. Harry forgave them, though he knew Ron had had dinner on his own, looking quite angry with the rest of the world.

"We have our first match this Saturday, against Slytherin, and we cannot lose it! I hate losing to Slytherin," Harry admitted. He heard Ginny and Dean laugh. They were still dating and Harry hated that fact very much. He hated that Katie Bell was stuck in St. Mungo's and that Dean was her replacement. "Let's just play. Do your best."

They all flew into air, and started practicing


	3. 3 - The First Match

_A/N:_

_Here's chapter three! This is one of the chapters that I'm not so happy with. I feel like it's so poorly written, sorry for that._

_Thank you for the great response on the first few chapters, keep it coming ;)_

_Love, Blowsyourmind._

**Chapter Three - The First Match**

"What are _they_ doing here?" said Ginny with a wrinkled nose, as she flew past Harry. Harry looked down at the ground to see who she was talking about.

The Slytherin team. Of course. They were standing right beneath them, making fun of the Gryffindors'. Harry saw Malfoy looking quite satisfied. He and the other players shared a laugh once in a while when Ron let a ball in or someone dropped the Quaffle. They even began to sing the song that they had made up years back when Ron had started on the Quidditch team.

_Weasly cannot save a thing,_

_He cannot block a single ring,_

_That's why Slytherins all sing;_

_Weasly is our king._

_Weasly was born in a bin_

_He always lets the Quaffle in_

_That's why Slytherins all sing;_

_Weasly is our king._

_Weasly is our king_

_Weasly is our king_

_Weasly will make sure we win_

_Weasly is our king._

Harry wanted to yell at them, tell them to shut up, but he knew too well that that was exactly what they wanted him to do.

"Are you enjoying fooling around on a stick, Mudblood?" Crabbe yelled at Hermione, and the entire Slytherin crew bursted into laughter. Harry looked at Hermione to see whether she noticed the comment or not, but she didn't. She continued playing, and Harry had to admit that she was one of them who did the best.

Hermione flew around, feeling more free than ever. But at the same time she was also feeling more angry and sad, like she was torn apart. She didn't like having a row with both Ron and Harry, and she hated herself for wanting to defend Ron when the Slytherins were singing that terrible song. She wanted Ron to be the one to apologize. It was after all him whom had made a mistake, not her. She didn't know what took him so long. She knew that him and Harry were having a row, too, so they were all three without friends at the moment.

She wished she could just walk up to Ron and tell him _everything, _but she knew that she couldn't do so. That would ruin it all - friendship, Quidditch, school..

Hermione loved playing Quidditch. She regretted not participating in the game earlier. it was fun, great exercise and also made her more aware of how a broom worked, which could be quite useful in an exam. She meant, she had talent. She had, on the other hand, ripped the team completely a part. And that, she was not so proud of. She wanted to be one of the reasons why they won the championship, not why they lost it. But at the moment that seemed nearly impossible.

She looked down at the Slytherins. Why did they have to stand there and look so ridiculous? Were they trying to scare off the Gryffindor team by showing that they found them entertaining? If so, it worked. Hermione was so nervous about that weekend's match. She knew they had to win. She, too, wanted to beat Malfoy, and shut his mouth completely. But she knew for that to happen, she had to speak to Ron. Deep inside she knew he was not going to take the initiative. It always came down to her. Sigh. She felt like the glue in the friendship, the one that had to keep all of the three together. And that was not always a lovely position.

Hermione glared at her own team players. Ginny was flying closely to Harry. They looked at each other for a few seconds - a few seconds too long, Hermione thought - and then moved on. Hermione knew Ginny had always had feelings for Harry, and now she started to think that Harry finally was returning those feelings. She feared how that would end. Ron would get _really_ upset if anything happened between them. She knew only too well how he reacted each time he saw Ginny with Dean in public. He thought they were 'gross.' So how would he not be reacting if it was his best friend snogging his sister?

"Hey, mudblood, watch out!" Hermione heard some Slytherin yell. She was not sure who, because in that moment a Bludger came flying straight towards her face in an extremely high speed, likely to smash her hard. She reacted quickly, and dragged her broom down towards the grass. The Bludger flew by, just an inch over her head. Hermione, and the rest of the team whom had all been watching in horror, sighed in relief.

"'Mione, you okay?" a voice yelled, but she could not tell whom it was. She looked around at all her team mates, but they, too, seemed to be unaware. Discreetly she took a quick glare at the still present Slytherins. One of them was looking back at her. He had been looking at her for a while before she had looked back. Hermione all of a sudden felt very strange in her gut.

Why was Draco Malfoy sending her such a friendly look?

* * *

Saturday morning the Great Hall was full of anxious Quidditch players and Quidditch fans, having breakfast. Well, neither Hermione nor Harry were eating. They were both too nervous about that days match. They were as usual seated apart. Harry was sitting with Dean and Ginny, Hermione with Neville and Luna, whom had found a way to sit with them, and Ron with Lavender Brown. She seemed to be very into Ron, but he did not pay her much attention.

"I heard Zacharias Smith is commenting the match today," Luna Lovegood said in an attempt to break the embarrassing silence between them.

"Really? That can never go any well," Neville replied. He didn't worry much about Quidditch, but he still liked to see Gryffindor win. He'd gotten to know Zacharias Smith the previous year when they both entered DA. Neville didn't really like him. Zacharias thought he was so good at everything and so damn entertaining. Truly, he was nothing but a jerk.

"Really I don't care who is commenting, I do care what they talk about." Hermione interrupted their conversation, but she was not looking at any of them. She was looking at her plate full of food that she in no way could get down her dry throat.

"You will do great, Hermione, don't worry! If what Harry said about your try-out is any true, then there's no doubt we will win," Luna cheered. She coughed a bit as she realised she'd said 'we.' Luna was a Ravenclaw, but a true supporter of Gryffindor. She usually wore a lion head as a hat at Gryffindor's matches. Very smart, as their animal was a lion.

"Well, what has he been saying about it?" she asked. For what she knew of, Harry never even mentioned Quidditch any more. Not that he had many people to mention it to.

"Not much. Always something about how great you are, and how he wish Ginny and Dean would break up or at least stop talking," Luna spat out. Hermione widened her eyes.

"He said he wanted them to _break up_?" she asked in surprise. Harry had really gotten great friends with Luna, since he would share that kind of information with her and not Hermione.

"Yes, indeed. Something about them constantly talking during practice. Not focusing on the game at all."

"Oh, I'm not sure that is the only reason why he would want them to split," Hermione smirked, talking in nearly a whisper.

"Really? You don't reckon...? But do you think he dares? I mean, with Ron and all that?" Neville asked, sounding very curious. It was obvious he didn't dare to take such a risk if he'd been in Harry's shoes.

"I don't know. He won't admit it to me. Well, actually we haven't been talking for a while, but I can just feel it. I know both of them well."

Luna chuckled, as had she just heard the biggest secret in her lifetime.

"Oh, I've forgotten my hat! I'll see you at the match, Neville. And Hermione, good luck!" And then Luna left the table in a hurry. Only a few seconds later Professor McGonagall showed up next to them to wish them good luck. Hermione thought to herself that Luna had seen McGonagall come, and had run off because she didn't want to be seen by a teacher at the Gryffindor table. Hermione knew, though, that McGonagall wouldn't have had kicked off Luna. She surely liked her.

"Are you ready?" Neville asked. He looked more nervous than Hermione was. She looked at the clock. Nearly time.

"As ready as I can be." Hermione got up, left the Great Hall all by herself, and walked down to the changing room by the Quidditch field. Her entire body was shaking. The only other time she'd ever felt this way was before the exams.

"Let's do this, okay? Do your best no matter how good they are. Er.." Harry walked around in front of his team, not really aware of what to say. Oliver, their previous captain, had been so good at those talks before a match, but Harry's head was just empty. "Just.. Try your best to win. If we don't, it's just too bad. That doesn't make us losers, and doesn't assure us that we won't win the cup. Give it all you've got and be proud of yourself no matter what."

They walked out on the field, one by one, meeting the Slytherin team, and hundreds of screaming students watching them. Over half of them were dressed in red and gold robes to cheer for Gryffindor. A few, though, were in green and silver. Hermione easily spotted Luna and her big lion hat in the crowd. Hermione giggled, but then reminded herself of where she was and what was about to happen, so the smile faded as quickly, as it had showed.

Harry greeted the Slytherin Captain, both with disgust in their eyes, and the match began.

Hermione had no idea what was going on. She didn't know who was ahead, she didn't know who was cheering the loudest, and she had no idea what Zacharias Smith was talking about. She felt so lost that she wanted to bawl her eyes out. She didn't want to show that she was weak, though, so she didn't let a single tear escape. She'd made herself believe that the match would be a lot like practice, but it was so different in every kind of way. She had no idea what to do, if the ball came flying towards her.

Her fellow team members were flying around her in a high speed, and she constantly had Bludgers after her. One had bruised her left arm, but not left any damage other than a bruise.

"Gryffindor scores," Hermione heard Zacharias sigh. He'd been going on non-stop about how Ron, Ginny and Hermione only were on the team because they were good friends with the Captain, so Hermione had shut him out of her system.

She'd lost track of time, too. They could have been playing for hours. The sun was still shining,, but it was very windy. Hermione didn't even dare to imagine how her hair looked like.

After what seemed like another hour Hermione was a bit back on track. No Bludgers were after her any longer than a few seconds, and she'd realised that the score was pretty even. Gryffindor did everything in their power to change that. Hermione saw Harry constantly searching the air and ground for the Golden Snitch. And then, all of a sudden, his eyes went wild. He had found it. He started to race towards the ground. Unfortunately Malfoy had seen it too, and was now going to the ground faster than Harry.

Hermione watched anxiously with widened eyes. She was so used to being in the audience, that she even screamed "Come on, Harry, you can catch it!" That made Malfoy look up from the Snitch, and look directly at Hermione. She saw his eyes widen, too. He stopped his action and lost track of what he was doing. It was like the Earth stood still for a little while to Hermione. She could for some strange reason not take her eyes off him.

Then everything around her went crazy. Harry had caught the Snitch because Malfoy had stopped paying attention.

Was she the reason they'd won?

And why had Malfoy looked at her like that? Why had she not been able to look away?

She broke the eye contact with the silvery eyes off, and went celebrating with her team. Her head was so full of thoughts that she felt like it could explode any second


	4. 4 - Talk in the Dark

_A/N:_

_I know I said this story is Dramione. In this chapter it sort of all begins. There won't be much of it in the beginning, but I promise you there is further into the story.. Also, I just realised I have to make a huge change in the story.. one that wasn't in the old one.. That'll be interesting._

**Chapter Four - Talk in the Dark**

"So, what you are saying is that you forgive me?" Hermione asked the following morning in the Great Hall. The celebration had ended just a few hours ago, so all the Gryffindors were very exhausted. Some even fell asleep over their plates full of eggs and bacon.

"Yes. I had some time to think about it last night, and I've realised that being mad at you was a stupid mistake," Ron answered with his mouth full of well-done bacon.

Hermione sighed. Harry looked at her in wonder. He'd thought she would've responded positively to Ron's apology. He, Ron, had been talking about how stupid he'd been all night.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked as he realised Hermione didn't smile at him as he had expected her to do.

"_You_ forgive _me_, Ron?! That's not how it's supposed to be! I'm the one who has to forgive _you_! _You_ shall apologize, Ronald!" Hermione yelled, she felt like the situation had been twisted and Ron thought she was the one who had messed up.

"What? Are you actually serious?" Ron had spat out all of his bacon.

"Yes, I'm serious, Ronald! You started this, so you apologize!" Hermione only called Ron by his full name when she was angry with him. Which was often.

An unwelcome silence appeared amongst them. Harry'd nearly not been speaking at all during breakfast. He was, too, exhausted over yesterday's celebrations, and not looking forward to an entire day of studying, because he was already behind with the school work.

"You are aware of that things hardly ever turn out as they're _supposed_ to, right, Hermione?" Ron replied with anger, finally breaking the silence after a few minutes. He felt tough. Hermione starred at him without answering. "Fine! I'm _sorry_, okay?" Ron continued, finally making Hermione smile.

"Thank you, Ronald, I forgive you." Harry saw how much Hermione tried to hide her overwhelming happiness. She'd won the battle, which was exactly what she loved to do.

Both Ron and Hermione seemed to have forgotten about their individual rows with Harry, which he only appreciated. He liked that the three of them were talking again. They spent the entire Sunday studying and doing homework. Ron didn't fancy it much, but he didn't want to get in another fight, so he didn't protest. He seemed very happy that they were friends again. _

* * *

As December arrived, so did an invitation to Professor Slughorn's Christmas Party. For the Slug Club members only, of course. Which meant Ron was once again left out and having a row with Hermione. He'd begun dating Lavender Brown, which Hermione was very much against, but didn't dare to tell him. She pretended it was all right, but ignored Ron completely. Ron and Lavender's lips were glued together. Literally.. They'd spent a day in the Hospital Wing last week. Harry'd suspected Hermione for doing it, but she'd denied with a glimpse in her eyes.

"I don't care who he runs around and snogs! Yes, I'd counted on him to be my date to the Christmas party, because now I've had to make other arrangements," Hermione said in the last week of school before Christmas.

"Really, who did you invite?" Harry asked in curiosity. He didn't see Ron much neither these days.

"Cormac McLaggen," she sighed. Harry could tell that she wasn't satisfied with it at all.

"Cormac? But you hate Cormac?" Cormac McLaggen was a somewhat good-looking boy who'd tried out for the Quidditch team, but hadn't made it. He'd not been very good at all.

"Harry, I don't _hate _anyone. Some people just annoy me enough for me to dislike them very strongly."

"Really? You don't even hate Voldemort?" asked Harry. Hermione widened her eyes and hushed at Harry. "What? Don't tell me you are afraid to speak his name now, Hermione!"

"No, not at all, but we're at the library, Harry! Have some respect." Harry'd never understood Hermione's respect for a bunch of old books. Sure they'd been very useful in their past years but it wasn't like they could hear what they were talking about. Or what? Harry wasn't quite aware of what each book was capable of.

"Anyway, who've you invited?" Hermione asked after a while of silence. It was late so the library was nearly empty. Only Romilda Vane was studying a Potion book in a nearby corner.

Harry picked up a copy of an old Defence Against the Dark Arts book. He remembered it from his fourth year at Hogwarts.

"Luna," he whispered, replying Hermione's question a bit later than he should.

He could hear Hermione choke.

"You are bringing Luna Lovegood to a formal party?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes. What is so wrong with that? She is actually a really sweet girl, and she knows I'm only bringing her as a friend," Harry assured. Luna'd been so pleased when Harry had asked her, even though he'd asked her to come as a friend. Ginny'd also told Harry how happy Luna'd been.

"Nothing wrong with that, it's just that I'd hoped you would be bringing, you know, Ginny," she spoke with a low voice.

"Ginny? She's probably bringing Dean, anyway, so why bother ask her." Harry was still very annoyed by the fact of their relationship.

"They fight constantly, you know, it is just a matter of time," Hermione sighed. Harry knew that she knew about his feelings for Ginny. Hermione always knew such things. Maybe that was just a girl-thing.

* * *

At the night of the Christmas Party, as Harry was getting prepared, Ron and Lavender had placed themselves in one of the common-room's most comfortable chairs and continued their constant snogging. Harry walked by them as he went to meet Luna and wrinkled his nose. He thought they looked very disgusting. It was in no way love, it was just meaningless snogging.

"Harry," a cinnamon sweet voice called his name as he was walking towards the Ravenclaw Tower.

"Hello, Luna. Are you ready?" he asked. Luna looked quite ravishing in light pink and silver robes. Harry couldn't tell what it was supposed to be, but it suited Luna very well, especially with her very long, curly, blonde hair. Harry'd never noticed the beauty of it before. Now he felt a sudden urge to touch it. "You look wonderful, Luna," he added without putting a thought to it.

Luna's cheeks turned reddish and her eyes searched to the floor, as they always did when she got shy.

"Thank you, Harry. You're quite handsome yourself," she replied with a smile.

"Oh, just some old robes I found in my suitcase."

Harry and her started to walk towards the room where Slughorn always held his parties. They were all alone in the corridors because everybody else were having dinner in the Great Hall, or getting ready to leave Hogwarts in the morning. Harry was leaving, too. He was going home with Ron to visit the Weaslys. He was not sure whether Hermione was coming with them, but he hoped so.

"I've never been to this part of the castle before," Luna admitted. They'd turned down a corridor full of lit candle lights, but still no people. They were beginning to hear the voices of the people attending the party. They weren't far away.

* * *

Cormac was trying to take Hermione's hand - again. She gently pushed it away - again.

She was sickened by his need for intimacy. She was really not into him at all. She'd only invited him because she knew Ron didn't like him at all. Not that Ron would ever know that she was going with him. He never left Lavender's lips.

She tried to act calm about the situation, because she wanted people to think she was doing just perfectly without Ron, but as Cormac tried to hold her hand once again, she lost her temper.

"Don't you understand a no or are you used to always getting what you want?!" she yelled at him. They were far away from the party, so no one were around to hear.

"Well, I honestly thought you wanted me. I mean, otherwise why would you invite me?" He smirked at her, and she felt her stomach turn.

The party was full of people whom Hermione never talked to, music, and food that gave you bad breath. Hermione ate plenty of that so that Cormac would feel disgusted by her. It didn't work, though. He was still walking very closely to her, hoping to get a kiss. She wouldn't give him any, of course. Maybe if Ron decided to gate crash.. No, probably not even then.

"I need air," Hermione said to Cormac as she had enough, and then left the room in such a hurry. She was getting a headache from all the noise and all of her thoughts.

She walked down a deserted corridor. She could still hear the voices and horrible music in the background. She sat down with her back towards the cold stonewall. She placed her head on her knees and started to cry. She was so tired of everything. Tired of Ron, Cormac, Quidditch.. It all hit her like a stroke of lightning and her tears were the rain that came out of it. They floated down her red cheeks and ruined her perfectly put mascara. She didn't have enough control to stop them from falling from her chocolatebrown eyes.

After what seemed like hours to Hermione, she finally got up and started to walk back. But truth to be told, she was lost. She couldn't remember whether it was the left or right side she had come from. With her head spinning in confuse she started to walk to the right. A little further down the corridor a tall silhouette was standing, leaning against the wall. Hermione stopped. She didn't know if she should walk any closer. If the person hadn't seen her, it might be best for her to just disappear. She probably looked all puffy and red after crying, and she didn't want anybody to see her like that. But she couldn't tell if the person had seen her or not. It was hard to see the face.

"I know you are there," the person, a male, said when Hermione didn't move. Hermione froze. She recognized the voice very well. How could she not? That exact voice had been calling her nasty words ever since she'd started at Hogwarts.

"Why are you here?" Hermione asked with a fragile voice. She took a few steps closer, not sure if that was a good idea.

"Oh, it's you, Granger. What are you doing away from the oh-so-fine party? Don't want to miss out on the fun, do you?" Draco Malfoy said with a sarcastic voice.

"Really, it's not much fun," Hermione replied, her voice still fragile. She wasn't comfortable at all with the situation.

"Really? It sounds like it, though." He was right. She could still hear the party and it did sound like a lot of fun, but not her kind of fun.

"I don't understand why you're here. Shouldn't you be in the Dungeons packing your suitcase or something?" she asked. She walked even closer to the boy. The face of the silhouette was clear now. He looked beautiful in the moon light.

"I didn't bring a big suitcase," was all he said. His nearly see-through blonde hair was really shinny under the moon.

"Oh." She didn't know what to say, but she didn't want the conversation to end.

"Yes, oh." Draco and Hermione where face to face now, not far apart. She felt the urge to ask him why he'd been looking - no, starring - at her during the match, but she was afraid of the answer. Afraid that she'd misunderstood it all, that it meant nothing.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" she asked again. She felt like there was something he wasn't saying.

"Granger, Granger, Granger," Draco started with a chuckle, "Since when have you called me Draco?"

Hermione chuckled. She found it very entertaining that Draco caught such small details.

"Since when did you start hiding in the corridors late at night?" she asked in return.

"I don't see why that's any of your business," he said, but in a gentle voice.

Hermione sat down next to Draco, who was still standing up. His face looked ice cold, but he didn't seem to be freezing.

"What is it about a huge, fabulous party full of smart people that pushes you away?" Draco asked after a while of silence. Hermione moaned.

"Don't get me started," she said. "_Smart _is not exactly a word that describes those people," she continued with a smile. "They are more a group of people with good connections, who loves to brag about it."

"I thought your friend Potter was a member."

"Oh yeah, he is. And so is Ginny. But everybody else are just.."

"Fake," Draco finished her sentence. Hermione looked up and met Draco's eyes.

".. Exactly." Hermione was surprised how exact Draco's word had been. As had he been reading her mind. But Hermione was almost sure that Draco didn't know Legilimency.

"I know the type," Draco said with a snort. He spoke with a voice that Hermione had never heard from him before. And then she realised that she was actually having a conversation with Draco Malfoy, and she was _enjoying_ it. Hermione quickly got up from the floor.

"It was, er, nice to talk to you, but I have to go," she said and started to run down the corridor. She stopped and turned around, facing Draco again. "There's a room full of fake people waiting for me," added she.

She saw Draco form a smile. He was smiling at her. That was something she'd never seen coming. She wondered if he'd forgotten about her punching him in the face - breaking his nose - a few years back.


End file.
